After 524 million quests, Microsoft shuts down Age of Empires Online

After almost three years of its journey, the online version of the popular title, Age of Empires, is no longer available. Last evening, Microsoft pulled the plug on the online real-time strategy game Age of Empires Online.

Launched in August of 2011, Age Of Empires Online was loosely based on the iconic Age of Empires RTS series. In its early days, the title allowed people to purchase premium content, however it wasn’t well received by gamers. To keep the users happy, Microsoft changed the payment model to allow users to buy features with “Empire Points” instead.

However, in January 2013, Microsoft announced that it would add no more content to the game, and later in the same year, announced that it would shut down Age of Empires Online on July 1, 2014.

In the farewell post, the company recollected the 500 million single player missions, 13 million multiplayer quests, and over two million arena matches that were played throughout the journey.

"It has been a pleasure and an honor serving you all. Thank you for the time you have spent with us, exploring all these little worlds together and conquering them for the glory of your Alliance and your Empire. Thank you especially for the times you spent with each other, in PVP matches, in co-op quests, and in the forums and the rest of the internet. Thank you for playing.", a post on the blog reads.

Did you ever play the Age of Empires Online? Will you miss it? Share with us in the comments below.